Testosterone is the main male hormone. It is he who largely forms the abstract concept of “masculinity” both in appearance and in the behavior of a man. They say “true male”, they mean “testosterone goes off scale.” Developed muscles, self-confidence and self-confidence, sharpness and speed of thinking in any, even the most non-standard situation – all thanks to him. According to many verified studies, from about 30 years old, testosterone levels in men begin to slowly but surely decrease. The consequences of such dynamics need not be described. You understand perfectly well what is at stake.

How to counter low testosterone levels? There are effective medical methods, but we are not at liberty to talk about them, because such things are done only with the permission and under the supervision of an appropriate specialist.

However, for prevention, it makes sense to turn to softer, natural and safer ways to increase and maintain this hormone at a normal level. Today we bring you nine easy ways to increase your testosterone levels.1. Get rid of excess weight

Overweight men statistically have lower testosterone levels, and the second fact here is a consequence of the first. Leaving extra pounds leads to an increase in testosterone levels, and in combination with a general improvement in the condition of the body, an incredibly strong positive effect is obtained.

2. Intense training + intermittent fasting:

The combination of short, intense workouts and intermittent fasting raises testosterone levels in men and prevents them from falling.

At the same time, observations of men who focus on aerobic and long-term, but measured training did not reveal an increase in the level of this hormone.

There are countless different variations of intense workouts. To get started, you can build your lesson like this:

1. Thorough warm-up – 3 minutes (required!).

2. The most hard and intense pace during the approach lasting 30 seconds, almost to failure.

3. Recovery within 90 seconds.

4. Repeat the second and third points seven times.

An important point: pay due attention to the warm-up. Explosive start is dangerous with injuries. The body should be kneaded, stretched. All in all, well warmed up.

This tactic is applicable on a huge number of simulators, when exercising with a barbell and dumbbells, in running and swimming.

Intermittent fasting corrects the hormones, promoting the production of more testosterone and the loss of excess fat. Unfortunately, feeling hungry too often and for a long time provokes a negative effect, reducing testosterone levels, and therefore you can add protein shakes to your diet after each workout.

The combination of these techniques gives a rather pronounced effect, and as a bonus, a person gets a more slender, muscular and toned body.

3. Follow the norm of zinc:

Consuming enough zinc is very important for increasing testosterone levels. Numerous studies show a significant increase in this hormone after just six weeks, provided that a person with initially low testosterone levels includes a sufficient amount of zinc in the diet.

Compliance with the norm of zinc is important not only to increase, but also to maintain testosterone levels. In the absence of a sufficient amount of digestible zinc in the diet of a man, a drop in testosterone levels is observed.

The best way to meet the norm of zinc is the right food. Food rich in protein. Meat, fish, milk, cheese, legumes, natural yogurt, kefir.

When using multivitamins or other artificial zinc supplements, pay attention to limits set by health authorities. In Europe, for adult men, the limit is 25 mg per day, and the recommended amount is 11 mg per day.

4. Strength training:

In addition to intense training, there is another type of training that significantly stimulates the production of testosterone – strength training. As long as you do strength training at the right intensity, your testosterone levels will rise. The key principle of strength training is: less reps, more weight, more compound exercises. Such classes require appropriate preparation and practice, so do not rush to lie down under a 100-kilogram barbell.

Another option that allows you to get the desired effect with less weight is to slow down the negative phase of the exercise or slow down the entire exercise in general, that is, both the negative and positive phases.

5. Vitamin D:

Presumably, vitamin D also affects testosterone levels. Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to increase testosterone levels in overweight men.

… problems with getting a vitamin from sunlight can be experienced by dark-skinned, obese and elderly people, as well as people who cover their limbs with clothing. To ensure a normal dose of the vitamin, it is necessary to be with the limbs exposed to sunlight in the midday sun (between 10 am and 3 pm) at least twice a week. For people with fair skin, a 5-minute sunbath is enough …
As you can see, overweight is a problem here too. Another reason to think.

The daily requirement of vitamin D for adults is 600 IU.

6. Minimize stress:

Under severe prolonged stress, the body produces cortisol, which actually blocks the effect of testosterone. This is how our body works, and there is nothing you can do about it.

In today’s world of permanent depression and chronic stress (and, consequently, with constantly elevated cortisol), the effect of testosterone is blocked too often and much, which we absolutely do not want. 7. Limit or eliminate sugar from your diet:

When blood sugar levels rise, testosterone begins to decline. There is an assumption that insulin lowers testosterone levels. In any case, the abuse of sweets leads to obesity, so this advice is useful in one way or another.

According to research, the average US citizen consumes 12 teaspoons of sugar per day. That is, in his life he will eat 2 tons of sugar.

Fast carbohydrates are not only found in sugary foods. Pasta, bakery products (pizza too, yes) – all this should be consumed very carefully.

8. Eat Healthy Fats:

“Healthy” doesn’t just mean polyunsaturated fats. The fact is that our body also requires a certain amount of saturated fats, as they are involved in the synthesis of testosterone. A diet plan in which fat (primarily animal origin) accounts for less than 40% of the energy received from food, in the case of men, leads to a decrease in testosterone levels. It is important to understand that our body needs saturated fats from plant and animal sources.

9. BCAAs:

In addition to protein shakes, o which was mentioned in the second paragraph as part of intermittent fasting, for a man with active sports, it will be useful to increase the amount of BCAAs received. These amino acids necessary for a person can be found in ordinary foods (for example, there is a lot of leucine in cheese), as well as in special supplements. Do not be negative about sports nutrition. In fact, high-quality additives are an almost pure product, without impurities and any nasty things.

With sufficient intake of amino acids in the body, they contribute to the creation of the correct anabolic environment. This is exactly what we need.